Student-athletes lobby MIAA for state tourneys
Vote expected today
Grateful to have a season but itching for the extra part of it they feel they earned, almost 100 student-athletes from different communities gathered Tuesday at the heart of high school sports decision-making — MIAA headquarters — to make one final push for a state tournament from the parking lot the day before the MIAA Board of Directors votes on the issue.
The Tournament Management Committee has already approved sectional tournaments, but against state matchups for scheduling and COVID-19 protocol reasons. Five speakers Tuesday told the crowd as to why, after over 650 days since they last took the field, a state tournament should happen. Former Newton South volleyball player Tyler Russell cited passion, which stems from playing for the biggest crown. Bromfield senior Izzy Plachet emphasized how athletes don’t play just to play.
The rest of the crowd, represented by petitioners from Lincoln-Sudbury, Concord-Carlisle, Wayland, Medfield and Needham, sent another message with numerous chants; it’s just two more games.
“It’s a matter of bringing us all together and giving a voice to all our studentathletes,” said Needham volleyball coach Dave Powell. “We’ve all gotten in contact with each other and this message needs to be out there. One of the committee members mentioned during a meeting that they’ve received hundreds of emails. … These kids have lived through a pandemic and we finally seem like we’re turning a corner. Everyone is confused why we can’t make these two games happen.”
Powell led the rally as a de facto host, but the Lincoln-Sudbury lacrosse team was instrumental in organizing the rally.
As the TMC voted down the state tournament based on how long it would extend past the normal June 22 cut-off date and on attempts to limit state-wide spread of the virus, Needham volleyball senior Owen Fanning gained about 5,000 signatures on a petition he started to sway the decision. The board initially met for a vote on Friday, but opted to run a survey that delayed the vote.
With the board meeting today, L-S lacrosse seniors Matt Dooley and Andrew Toland got in contact with Fanning to ramp up the support in favor of the tourney.
“We thought there’s no better way than to organize a rally here at the MIAA to let our voices be heard one last time before they vote,” Dooley said. “Don’t get me wrong, we’re so grateful … but being seniors, we lost our entire junior season, so we want to compete one last time for a state championship.”
Added Toland: “It shows that every town really wants this. Everybody really came together as a spring sports community to show they want to compete for a tournament and reach the ultimate goal.”
Russell, Planchet, Dooley, Powell and Fanning spoke, hyping up the crowd with the common goal of getting state tournament approval. That unity certainly proved contagious.
Normally fierce foes, senior lacrosse players Catarina Tobin (L-S), Gabrielle Miark (Concord-Carlisle) and Ella Lesperance (Wayland) hung out following protocols in the off-time of the rally, which lasted an hour. They joked they wouldn’t be friends for long, but admired how they came together to fight for the chance to compete against each other for a state title. That opportunity, they say, makes a world of difference for them and their communities.
“I think we can all agree two games doesn’t seem like a lot, but it means a lot to all of our senior athletes,” Miark said.
“In a time where we’re so separate … I think it’s a really incredible time to come together and work together and hopefully get those last two game so we can have a complete season because we did get stripped of that last year,” added Lesperance. “We compete on the field, but we come together to get these last two games.”